Google Ads vs Facebook Ads
Google Ads (SEM)

Google Ads vs Facebook Ads; Which Is Better For Realtors?

Read on as we pit two incredibly powerful advertising platforms against each other before crowning the reigning winner for real estate marketing!

Sophiyanah David

January 2, 2023

Most realtors turn to Facebook for marketing their new condo launches. 

But are you truly reaching your target audience? Do you really get qualified leads from this platform? 

If not, should you try Google Ads instead? Which one among the two would be a better option for Singapore realtors? 

If you’re looking for answers to these questions, then you’re in the right place! 

So, settle in because we’re covering all those and more in today’s read. 

Before we dive right into this, make sure to also look through our article on social media ads vs Google Ads if you’re interested in a general overview of things. 

Now, let’s begin! 

Facebook Ads
1. Pros
1.1   Helps increase brand awareness
1.2   More visually attractive
2. Cons
2.1   Poor quality leads
2.2   Limited reach
Google Ads
3. Pros
3.1   Targets intent for better conversion
3.2   Better tech & tools
4. Cons
4.1   More expensive
4.2   Set up and maintenance
5. Which do we recommend?


Facebook Ads

1. Pros

1.1 Helps increase brand awareness

Facebook ads are a great way to get prospects comfortable and familiar with your property marketing agency. 

With 4.57 million users in Singapore alone, it’s safe to say no other platform beats Facebooks in terms of building brand awareness.

As prospects come across your ads on a regular basis, your agency will quickly become the first possible option to cross their mind when they’re looking for a realtor. 

As such, customers are more inclined to get in touch with your company rather than, say, a competitor's business they are less familiar with since they already know your brand and instinctively trust it. 

This helps you avoid unnecessary competition when it comes down to making sales. 

1.2 More visually attractive

With options like running video and carousel ads, you can effectively hook the attention of audiences when using Facebook ads. 

This is especially an advantage in industries like real estate where compelling videos or sharply produced images can be the final nudge homebuyers need to reach out to realtors. 

In fact, you can even go as far as to say these attractive visuals do half of the work for you before potential clients even arrive at the showroom!

2. Cons

2.1 Poor quality leads

Compared to Google Ads, Facebook ads don’t target users who are already on the buying journey.

You are basically focusing your ad on users who fit the bill as your target audience. 

This means Facebook will display your ads to the age, gender, education, job title, financial income, and overall demographic of your choice. 

That said, while your ad could come across the perfect prospect, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re interested since they didn’t exactly search it out themselves. 

As a result, your ads can easily be a hit or miss. 

2.2 Limited reach

Unlike Google Ads, the reach of Facebook ads is limited only to those using their app. 

If you’re wondering what we mean, consider this – can you think of anyone who hasn’t used Google? What about those who aren’t on Facebook? 

You most likely answered no for the former question and yes for the later. 

What this means for your marketing influence when using Facebook is that you can only train your campaign on those with an active account at that moment. 

Once they close the application, you will no longer be able to target them unless they open the app again. 

Google Ads

3.1 Targets intent for better conversion

There is one clear difference between Google Ads and other marketing platforms – and it’s the fact that it targets intent. 

What this means is as soon as prospect buyers use this search engine to look up related properties, your ads are immediately offered. And since the intent of making a purchase – or at least considering the condo – is already there, you’re already one step closer to gaining a qualified lead and closing in on them.

Simply put, Google Ads helps you push past that initial decision-making process. 

You’re not blindly pitching to someone who is spending their lunch time on social media, you’re appealing to prospects who took the initiative to make a search themselves – and that’s a powerful opportunity. 

3.2 Better tech & tools

The search engine giant is constantly looking for ways to improve their services for better user experience. 

As such, Google offers various free tools to help marketers produce quality ads. From free bid simulators, to keyword planners, and more, you can take advantage of every tool the search engine giant has to offer as long as you have a registered account. 

Users also like how Google Ads seamlessly integrates with other Google platforms and tools like Tag Manager, Optimize, and Google Analytics. 

This provides you with access to a strong suite of software to help build a sound property marketing campaign.

4.1 More expensive

Google Ads are costlier than Facebook Ads – and that’s undeniable. 

The good news is that you can always set a maximum budget in Google Ads to avoid paying more than you can afford. 

But that’s not all! 

Google also rewards you with a lower cost-per-click when you create quality ads that perform better compared to your competitors. Here are a few ways you can do this; 

  • Increase your Quality Score
  • Use long-tail keywords
  • Try including negative keywords
  • Improve click-through rate (CTR) with ad testing

4.2 Set up and maintenance

Making the most of your Google Ads campaign requires a lot of knowledge and expertise – especially since Google upgrades its platform frequently. 

This can sometimes be both challenging and time-consuming for users when learning how to set up or optimize their ads

As a result, many property marketing agencies and realtors alike often choose to hire a consultant or digital marketing agency to handle their advertising. This gives them more room to focus on their leads as well as make the most of their marketing budget. 

Pro tip: If you’re keen on picking up a skill that can put you in the figurative front seat of all your marketing campaigns, then try signing up for our Google Ads masterclasses. During these sessions, our Google Ads specialists will break down this powerful platform into digestible bits, effectively teaching you how to harness its power. Read here for more information on our masterclass and its contents. 

5. Which do we recommend?

The ad platform you should choose largely depends on your marketing aim, target audience, and budget.

But what's keeping you from integrating both these channels into your advertising plan? 

You can use Facebook to promote your brand and draw attention to new launch condos with attractive photos as well as videos. Then, when a buyer is interested, target them with Google Ads. 

However, if you don’t have the budget to spare, we recommend using Google Ads over Facebook Ads. You can then simply create a Facebook account to continue engaging with buyers, post about your current listings, and grow your brand recognition.  

As a result, if you don’t currently have a Google Ads account for your business or if you don’t use it to its full potential, you should seriously consider taking full advantage of this platform – the opportunities are truly endless! 

And that’s all we have for this article! Interested in more real estate marketing content like this? Follow our LinkedIn or Facebook pages to stay updated as soon as we post an article! 

Looking for Google Ads specialists? Look no further than SellMoreCondos (SMC)! For years we have worked alongside realtors across Singapore on over 100 new condo launch projects to produce successful results. Recently, we’ve also ventured into teaching Google Ads masterclasses to brokers who would rather do it themselves. So, if you’re interested in either option or keen on discussing landing page or website building, feel free get in touch with us today!

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